


A big day

by softgrungeprophet



Series: Peachy [4]
Category: Venom (Comics)
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clothing, Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Found Family, Gen, Gender, Graduation, Other, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 09:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17702093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softgrungeprophet/pseuds/softgrungeprophet
Summary: Andi graduates from community college, and Flash is beginning to be himself.





	A big day

After seeing Coach push his hair out of his eyes for the thousandth time in a row, Andi couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed a pack of barrettes from the drawer in her desk where she kept random bits and bobs, marched herself back out to where he sat reading something at the dining room table, and slapped them down in front of him.

He looked up at her, confused.

"These are too girly for me." Not an untruth, though Mania tickled a little bit in the back of her head. Yeah, okay, she liked pink... but Flash liked pink too and Andi's brand new undercut looked better without any accessories—"You can have 'em."

"Oh," Flash pulled the package a little closer and turned them over to get a better look. "Are you sure?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Just take them."

Mania sent a burst of emotions through their bond. Scolding, fondness.

Andi sighed and took the package back, noting the way Flash frowned slightly as she did so—but she just peeled the cardboard backing away from the plastic the rest of the way, so she could shake the barrettes out. She gestured for him to face her. "C'mere."

He adjusted his wheelchair so he could look at her better, and she turned his head just so, smoothing his hair back from his face. He raised his eyebrows, a little curious but very still as she popped open the barrettes and tried to get them into his hair the right way. He had thick hair and she was used to doing it to herself in the mirror, so it took a moment but she got them in—he pulled a face when she snapped them shut against his skull. "Ow!"   

She shot him her most unimpressed expression. " _Baby_."

He crossed his arms, the most petulant thirty-something she'd ever seen, but he very visibly tried not to smile. Pretending to be annoyed.

"Just as I thought," She patted the side of his face as she turned away. "They look way cuter on you than they do on me."

"Hey, Andi—"

Andi glanced over her shoulder, from the doorway.

He gave her a crooked, dimpled grin. "Thanks."

She couldn't keep herself from smiling fondly at him. After all, what kind of protégé would she be if she didn't care as much about him as he did about her? And honestly, if she could help her mentor navigate the muddy waters of... whatever this was, then why not do her best? He'd helped her through so much, doted on her so much, it was the least she could do.

"Don't mention it."

She made her way back to her bedroom, appreciative of the warm affection that tickled her brain from Mania's presence.

***

This wasn't the first time Flash would be leaving the house like this, but it was still a little anxiety-inducing to tuck in the floral blouse and know that other people would see him. He put his hair back with the barrettes Andi had given him a couple of months back, and stared at himself in the mirror—thank god for an apartment with two bathrooms, at least. He could hear the shower running in the other one, as Andi started her day.

Flash fussed with his hair some more, and smoothed his blouse again, and straightened his—well, it was a kilt but he called it his skirt, in his head. Shifted on his prosthetic legs.

Should he wear makeup? It was Andi's graduation, after all, not his. He didn't want to look too fancy. But he didn't want to look _plain_ , either.

"Shit."

Maybe he should have just gone for the button-down and the slacks.

A knock at the front door interrupted his thoughts and he hurried to answer.

"Eddie, hi!"

Eddie leaned down to kiss him on the cheek.

"Morning, beautiful." Eddie kissed him again, on the lips this time, and the symbiote twined out to join their hands.

He felt calmer already.

***

Andi was ready.

She had her favorite boots on, her striped tights, and a nice black dress Flash had bought her just for the occasion. A bunch of jelly bracelets lined her arms, multicolored and thin, and she'd gotten her undercut to lay just the right way with some help from Mania. She took a minute to finish up her eyeliner, sharply winged, and smoothed down the front of her dress.

"Andi, it's almost time to go."

She poked her head out of the bathroom. "Just a sec!" One final pass, to make sure everything was okay...

When she finally came out into the living room, Flash pushed her gown and cap into her arms. "Come on, Eddie's outside."

She shrugged the gown on, but refrained from putting the hat on just yet. She paused on her way to the front door and pursed her lips. "Don’t tell me you're wearing that."

Flash looked down at the utilikilt he loved so much. "It has _pockets_."

"It's _khaki_." Andi grabbed his cane from beside the door and tossed it to him—he caught it, no problem. "I can't believe you're such a square. Is this what having a mom is like?"

Flash stuttered out an unintelligible "Wh—how—you—" as he followed her out the door, only shutting up long enough to lock it, before finally settling on, "I'll ground you." He pointed at her with his best impression of sternness.

Andi laughed.

They joined Eddie on the front sidewalk—if Flash dressed like a square mom, Eddie dressed like an ex-goth librarian (A _turtleneck_? _Really_? in _June_?)—and together they all headed out. Just walking the whole way, no car or cab or bus or anything like that. Andi up ahead, with Mania humming something not-quite-like-a-tune in her brain. Just behind them, Eddie and Flash walked arm-in-arm, probably with Eddie's symbiote sticking them together or something.

It was weird to have a family again.

Nice, though.

Even if Eddie and Flash flirted way too much.

"Don't make me come back there!" Andi tossed a faux-glare over her shoulder.

Flash laughed and shot back, "Don't eavesdrop on us!"

But, hey, better Eddie than some other weirdo. He always gave Andi and Mania chocolates, and it helped that he seemed to be just as in love with Flash as Flash was with him.

Gross.

Sweet... but gross.

***

They met up with Andi's aunt and cousins just outside of the graduation venue, and Andi finally put her cap on as she disappeared off to where she needed to be.

Eddie helped Flash up the narrow, not-quite-level steps to take a seat as close to the front as they could get—two years ago, Flash never would have let him, but now he appreciated the support among the cramped, tightly-crowded bleachers. It was nice to have Eddie between him and Ms. Benton, as well. Not that he disliked her but she was very much a middle-aged woman, of the sort to own a mini-van even after her children had grown up. And he was... well, he was a disabled vet wearing a floral blouse and a skirt.

A surprising number of people turned out for what was just a community college graduation ceremony, filling out the bleachers as the students started to take their places in the foldable chairs out on the floor.

Even with her purple hair it took Flash a while to find Andi but Eddie pointed her out, presumably with the help of Venom. She seemed to be looking around for them, too, and when she finally spotted them, Flash waved at her with a big grin.

She waved both her arms at him as he pulled out his phone to take a picture.

It turned out about as well as could be expected... He posted it to Twitter anyway.

"Really?" Eddie coaxed his hand down. "Social media?"

Flash leaned his head on Eddie's shoulder and muttered, "Just 'cause you don't even know how to text..."

Eddie grumbled.

"I can text..."

Flash laughed and took his hand, which quickly went smooth and black beneath his palm as Eddie and the symbiote twined their fingers with his.

He didn't bother trying to take any more pictures, as the ceremony began.

***

Andi ran to meet Flash after everyone got let out—he caught her in his arms with a grunt but hugged her tight as he said, "I'm so, so proud of you," with Eddie steadying him.

She hugged Eddie, too, and he seemed surprised at first. But his arms wrapped around her for a brief moment before he let her go with an uncharacteristically soft smile.

Then came everyone else,  of course. Her auntie and her cousins.

"Take a picture of us!" Andi got herself in between Eddie and Flash, slinging her arms around his shoulder. "Please?"

"Alright, keep your pants on—" Her aunt held up the camera, and gave them a moment to get organized.

Flash put his hand against Andi's back to support her as he leaned on his cane, and she popped some Devil horns up next to his ear. Eddie stood a little off from them, but close enough to hold Flash's waist as Andi's aunt said, "Cheese!" and snapped a photo.

One more for good measure.

A perfect little family.

***

"Hey, Andi?"

Andi looked up from her phone, cozied up in her pajamas on the couch with Mania curled up in her lap. "What's up?"

Flash ran his hand through his hair, and for a moment seemed uncertain. But he folded his hands in his lap and looked at her in a way not unlike her late father, and he asked, "You like Eddie, right?"

She raised her eyebrow, smiling slightly. "I guess." She leaned against the arm of the couch, and Mania chirped and resettled as she shifted. "Why?" Her grin widened.

"Well..."

Andi reached out to poke his shoulder. "Come oooon."

Flash sighed. "I just wanted to see if it would be alright if I asked him to... maybe... move in? With us."

She beamed at him and settled her chin in her hands. "Awwww~"

He rolled his eyes.

Andi poked him again.

"Hey—knock it off!" But he smiled at her—poked her right back.

Andi folded her arms up and leaned her head on them, Mania purring slightly. "I wouldn't mind, I don't think." She smiled slightly. "Even if it means I have to be around you two and your gross kissing all the time."

"Don't worry, we won't start making out in front of you."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I feel like you kinda do already."

He scoffed.

"For real, it's cool." Andi sat up a bit and settled her hands on the blob that Mania had made in her lap, stroking them slightly as they continued to purr. "He makes you happy right?"

Flash looked down to the side, a little wistful, or maybe contemplative. Quietly, he said, "Yeah."

"Then I'm cool with it." Andi gave Mania a little scritch. "Anyway, Mania likes it when they're over."

"Really?"

She nodded sagely. "Free chocolate."

Flash let out a laugh, which softened into a smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

They settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by the low murmur of the TV.

A few seconds passed, and—barely audible—Flash said "Thanks."

Andi just smiled.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Andi's_ the one who's graduating but Flash seems to be the one who's the most nervous.  
> Probably Philadelphia Community College but I didn't want to concretely decide... Same for the venue... probably the Liacouras Center but I don't actually know these things.  
> IDEK what Andi's degree is in... an AA of course, but like... I dunno... liberal arts, maybe, or theater... could be science though! who knows. 
> 
> This is set like 8 months-ish after Peachy Coral, so Flash is 31 and Andi is 21. (Eddie is 37)
> 
> Andi: longish purple undercut  
> Flash: chin-length hair and cleanshaven  
> Eddie: nice full beard and short hair
> 
>  
> 
>   
> [on tumblr](http://hoardlikegoldenirises.tumblr.com/post/182461520297)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> I'm still using he/him pronouns for Flash but I think he's probably like... genderqueer or something... He hasn't exactly decided himself yet, but he likes to feel pretty and feminine.
> 
> In the midst of a bit of a slump/break wrt writing but wanted to get this out into the world anyway....  
> i have an idea for something for valentine's day too but idk if i'll get to it.


End file.
